annähern

Annähern is a German verb meaning to bring closer or to approximate, and it is also used as a nominalized form in the sense of the act of approaching. The verb is separable with the prefix an-, and is commonly used in both physical and abstract contexts. In everyday language one often hears phrases like die Kurven nähern sich einander an (the curves approach each other) or die Ergebnisse nähern sich der Realität an (the results approximate reality).

As a reflexive or intransitive construction, the phrase sich annähern is used to describe two parties or concepts gradually becoming more similar or aligned, for example in diplomacy or negotiations: Die beiden Länder nähern sich politisch einander an. In scientific or mathematical contexts annähern frequently means to approximate a value or model to a target, as in Die Berechnung nähert die Werte der Messgröße an.

The noun form das Annähern (also commonly expressed as Annäherung) denotes the act or process of approaching, rapprochement, or approximation. It appears in neutral and formal registers, for instance in discussions of international relations (das Annähern zweier Staaten) or in technical contexts (eine Annäherung der Daten an ein Modell).

Etymologically, annähern combines the prefix an- with nähern (to bring near), indicating motion toward proximity or similarity. The term is versatile across disciplines, carrying a neutral, descriptive tone suitable for both descriptive writing and analytic commentary.